Home » UK weather live: Travel chaos as snow hits country and Met Office issues new warning

UK weather live: Travel chaos as snow hits country and Met Office issues new warning

UK weather live: Travel chaos as snow hits country and Met Office issues new warning

Wider travel disruption expected across UK due to 30cm of snowfall

Heavy overnight snow is causing disruption across the UK this morning as a cold snap continues to sweep the country over the first weekend of 2025, with two amber alerts still in place and a fresh warning issued.

Several major airports were forced to temporarily close their runways due to snowfall, leading to flight cancellations and delays. Leeds Bradford Airport’s is still shut, but Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon’s have now reopened.

National Highways warned that up to 25cm of snow as well as ice could affect roads in northern England, with some key roads facing closures.

The first amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place until midday today, while another amber snow alert is in place across most of northern England until the end of the day.

Up to 40cm of snow is expected in the worst affected areas, while much of the warning area can expect 3cm to 7cm, the Met Office said, adding that there is also a risk of rare freezing rain.

The Met Office issued a new yellow weather warning for rain across southern England on Sunday, lasting until 9am on Monday, amid fears of flooding.

UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.

Flood warnings and alerts issued across England and Wales amid fears of rapid thaw

A number of flood warnings and alerts have been issued across England and some of Wales amid fears of a rapid thaw following the snowfall and icy conditions.

The Environment Agency has issued eight flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 107 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, in England this morning.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Wales has in place three flood alerts.

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 11:29

Rail services impacted across the country amid extreme weather

Rail services have been impacted across the country amid the extreme weather.

Northern has advised passengers not travel as heavy snow causes issues on its network.

Avanti West Coast trains leaving Liverpool Lime Street may be cancelled or delayed due to difficulties at the depot after snowfall.

National Rail has advised passengers to check their journey before travelling amid the widespread disruption.

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 11:12

Watch: Simon Calder on wider travel disruption expected across UK due to 30cm of snowfall

Wider travel disruption expected across UK due to 30cm of snowfall

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 11:00

Manchester airport: runways open, but dozens of cancellations

Dozens of flights to and from Manchester have been grounded after the airport was closed for three hours on Sunday morning.

Even though operations have resumed, many of the first wave of departures have been cancelled.

Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet has cancelled a dozen flights to and from destinations including Lisbon and Faro in Portugal, Prague and Sofia.

In addition, flights incoming from Munich, Vienna, Zurich and Helsinki could not reach Manchester and the outbound segments have been cancelled.

Travel correspondent Simon Calder5 January 2025 10:46

Beamish Museum in Co Durham closed for the day

Beamish Museum, the “Living Museum of the North”, says it will stay closed on Sunday.

The statement said: “It’s with a heavy heart that, due to the snowy conditions, we are unable to open the museum today (Sunday, 5 January 2025).

“We’re saddened to have to make this decision but the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers must always come first, and due to the weather conditions it just wouldn’t be possible to open.

“For anyone with a booking for our pantomime performances today, we’ll be sending you an email with further information. Thank you everyone for your understanding.”

A tram and tourists in the high street of the Edwardian town that forms part of Beamish Museum in County Durham, England
A tram and tourists in the high street of the Edwardian town that forms part of Beamish Museum in County Durham, England (Getty Images)

Travel correspondent Simon Calder5 January 2025 10:45

Comment: My elderly mother can’t afford heating – she needs the winter fuel allowance

Even the most independent pensioners are finding the current conditions challenging.

My 73-year-old mother is no stranger to tough times; she found herself widowed after losing my dad to a gruelling battle with cancer and suffers from debilitating rheumatoid arthritis herself. She’s a powerhouse of strength and is fiercely stubborn, so it came as a shock when she recently told me how worried she was about heating her home this winter and her health fears during this severe cold snap.

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 10:40

In pictures: Heavy snow blankets parts of UK

A train makes its way along the Hunt’s Cross line in Liverpool
A train makes its way along the Hunt’s Cross line in Liverpool (PA Wire)
A blanket of snow covers Blackpool in Lancashire on Sunday
A blanket of snow covers Blackpool in Lancashire on Sunday (Michael Holmes/PA Wire)
Heavy snow fell in Liverpool overnight
Heavy snow fell in Liverpool overnight (PA Wire)

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 10:34

Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas all cleared for Sunday racing

National Hunt racing resumed on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all given the go-ahead following morning inspections.

Racegoers were left without any jumps or afternoon action on Saturday after freezing temperatures claimed the meetings at Sandown and Wincanton. Newcastle’s jumps card had already been abandoned on Friday, while a frozen track at Cork meant no racing took place in Ireland either.

Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of the track’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight – and while 25mm fell, racing was given the green light.

Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.

A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 10:32

Chesterfield vs Gillingham and Fleetwood vs AFC Wimbledon postponed

The Sky Bet League Two fixtures between Chesterfield and Gillingham and Fleetwood and AFC Wimbledon were postponed on Sunday morning.

“Due to the fitness of the pitch and surrounding area due to heavy snowfall on the Fylde Coast during Saturday night into Sunday morning a call was made in consultation with the EFL and PGMOL,” Fleetwood said announcing the postponement of the fixture.

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 10:31

Liverpool-Man Utd clash subject to safety decision due to heavy snow

Liverpool say “every effort” is being made for their home game with Manchester United to take place on Sunday amid adverse weather conditions on Merseyside, with a decision expected just after midday.

Snow fell across Merseyside and the north west overnight and Liverpool City Council’s Safety Advisory Group met on Sunday morning to determine whether the Premier League match could go ahead due to access issues.

The group will reconvene at midday in the hope that weather conditions will ease and the fixture – one of the biggest in English football – will kick-off as scheduled at 4.30pm.

“A safety meeting was held this morning to assess the weather and travel conditions for today’s fixture against Manchester United at Anfield,” league leaders Liverpool posted on their official X account.

“At this stage the match is planned to go ahead as normal and every effort is being made to get the game on.

“A further safety meeting will take place again at midday to assess the latest conditions.

“We will update supporters just as soon as we can. Please take extra care out there, Reds.”

Tara Cobham5 January 2025 10:27